Machines, apparatus, or systems for applying, for example, tax stamps to individual packages of cigarettes contained within a carton of cigarettes are known in the art. An example of one such machine, apparatus, or system is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,355 which issued to Davis on May 5, 1981. In accordance with the operative structure comprising the disclosed machine, apparatus, or system, cartons of cigarettes are transported or conveyed by means of an infeed conveyor to an input platform or table, and subsequently, the cartons of cigarettes are further conveyed, moved, or routed through a carton separating stage, a carton flap opening stage, a carton flap fold-back stage, a cigarette package stamping stage, and a carton flap reglueing stage. If cartons having different length, different width, and/or different height dimensions are to be processed, various structural components or mechanisms comprising the various aforenoted cigarette carton and package processing stages or stations must be adjusted so as to in fact enable the machine, apparatus, or system to accommodate and process the cartons having such different length, width, and height dimensions. Unfortunately, in accordance with the structural arrangement or construction comprising the various interactive or interoperative components of the aforenoted machine, apparatus, or system of Davis, the adjustable structural components or mechanisms must be manually adjusted which is very time-consuming and tedious for operator personnel. As can therefore be readily appreciated, the throughput processing speed of the machine, apparatus, or system is relatively slow, and the throughput processing or output volume of the machine, apparatus, or system is relatively low.
In order to effectively improve upon the processing of differently-sized cigarette cartons within the aforenoted Davis machine or apparatus, the aforenoted system of Michalski was developed. Briefly, in accordance with the apparatus or system of Michalski, a sensing mechanism is disposed at a first station located at the upstream end portion of the machine or system whereby, for example, the height dimension of each cigarette carton is determined and the height dimension data, reflective of each individual cigarette carton, is transmitted to a program logic controller (PLC). The subsequent processing stations, located downstream from the first upstream cigarette carton sensing and height determination station, comprise appropriate operative components or means, for example, for opening the cigarette cartons, for stamping the individual cigarette packages contained within each cigarette carton, and for closing and resealing the cigarette cartons after the stamps have been applied to all of the cigarette packages within the cigarette cartons. In addition, suitable servo mechanisms are operatively associated with the particular operative components disposed at each one of the processing stations, and accordingly, when the program logic controller (PLC) transmits suitable data, indicative of the height dimensions characteristic of each particular cigarette carton, to each one of the servo mechanisms, the servo mechanisms adjust the respective operative components disposed at the processing stations such that the station components are optimally positioned with respect to the particular cigarette carton disposed at the particular processing station in order to permit the particular operative components to properly perform their particular operation upon the cigarette carton or packages. While the system of Michalski has been commercially successful, it has been determined that further improvements need to be implemented in connection with such a system in order to, for example, render the same operatively more efficient whereby the throughput processing volume can be increased, and in addition, the overall structural arrangement of the system can be simplified and rendered more economical.
For example, it has been noted that, in accordance with the system of Michalski, each individual carton of cigarettes needs to have its height dimension determined regardless of the fact, for example, that the particular carton of cigarettes may comprise one of several cartons of cigarettes of the same type or brand of cigarettes manufactured by the same manufacturer whereby all of the cigarette cartons will in have the same height dimension. In addition, as has been noted, each one of the cigarette carton opening, cigarette package stamping, and cigarette carton closing and re-sealing stations must have its own servo mechanism operatively disposed at each particular operational station, for receiving the height dimension data, which is characteristic of each cigarette carton and which has been previously entered into the memory of the program logic controller (PLC), so as to respectively control the disposition of the particular operational mechanism, located at such station, with respect to each incoming cigarette carton whereby each operation mechanism may properly perform its particular operation with respect to the particular cigarette carton.
Still further, in order to initially open the sealed cigarette cartons, the cigarette cartons are conveyed through a cigarette carton opening station at which a plow mechanism is disposed. Roller members are disposed immediately upstream of the plow mechanism so as to effectively squeeze the side portions of the cigarette carton together and thereby cause the top flaps of the carton to effectively assume a substantially “domed” configuration into which the plow mechanism can be moved so as to subsequently forcefully separate and open the bonded top carton flaps with respect to each other. It sometimes occurs, however, due, for example, to different stiffness parameters characteristic of different cigarette cartons, that the “domed” configuration is not always properly or sufficiently formed so as to in fact permit the plow mechanism to be properly inserted into the space defined beneath the bonded top carton flaps. At other times, the plow mechanism may in fact be properly inserted into the space defined beneath the upwardly “domed” top carton flaps, however, the adhesive bonding force defined between the top carton flaps is sometimes greater than the tear resistance defined between the top carton flaps and the remainder of the cigarette carton. Accordingly, upon insertion of the plow mechanism into the space defined beneath the upwardly “domed” top carton flaps, one or both of the top carton flaps is or are torn away from the remainder of the cigarette carton in lieu of the top carton flaps being properly separated and opened with respect to each other. This may also cause the processing line to become jammed which would, in turn, impact the throughput processing and volume capabilities of the stamp applicator machine or system.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved machine, apparatus, or system for applying tax stamps to individual packages of cigarettes contained within a carton of cigarettes wherein the various interactive or interoperative components of the machine, apparatus, or system which comprise, or are positioned at, for example, the carton flap opening station, the cigarette package stamping station, and the carton flap closing station, are able to be automatically adjusted by means of a single servo unit such that the machine, apparatus, or system is rendered more economical to construct and implement, wherein there is no longer a need to necessarily scan each incoming cigarette carton for its particular size or height dimension such that the throughput processing speed of the machine, apparatus, or system is enhanced, wherein both the opening and closing operations performed upon the cigarette cartons are substantially simplified, optimized, and reliably ensured, and wherein jamming of the machine, apparatus, or system at any particular operation station can be readily rectified such that the throughput processing or output volume of the machine, apparatus, or system is not adversely affected and is enhanced as compared to conventional stamp applicator machines.